Electronic device and method providing a touch-based interface for a display control

ABSTRACT

An electronic device and method providing a touch-based interface for a display control is provided. The electronic device includes a display, and a processing unit. The display includes a screen installed with a cursor thereon and a frame attached to the screen. The frame further has a first touch sensitive region and a second touch sensitive region for generating sensing signals in response to an input operation. Each sensing signal is assigned a coordinate for identification. The processing unit identifies the sensing signals according to the coordinates assigned therewith, controls a movement of the cursor displayed on the screen if the identified sensing signals from the first touch sensitive region, and controls a movement of pages displayed on the screen if the identified sensing signals from the second touch sensitive region. A related method is also provided.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to user interactive devices and methods,and particularly to a user interactive device and method that are userfriendly, particularly with respect to a display control.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

With the advent and introduction of the graphical user interface (GUI),today's computers are driven much more by the cursor control device thanever before. Accordingly, a wide variety of techniques for positioning acursor on a computer display are available and well known in thecomputer industry.

A conventional cursor control device is a keyboard. A user can press avariety of keys on the keyboard to control movement of the cursor.However, this cursor movement manner becomes inconvenient when sizes ofthe keyboards get smaller.

Another conventional cursor control device is a mouse. The user can pushthe mouse in the direction of the desired cursor movement. Nevertheless,the mouse generally suffers from one or more deficiencies. For example,the mouse requires the user to move his or her hand across large areasto operate efficiently and to permit movement of the cursor throughoutthe display area. However, the user's workspace is often limited, as aresult, the user must repeatedly lift the mouse. Furthermore, theserepetitive operations may also lead to physical fatigue and repetitivestress injuries to the user.

What is needed, therefore, is an electronic device and method fordisplay control that can provide a friendly and convenient userinterface allowing easy display control.

SUMMARY

An electronic device providing a touch-based interface for a displaycontrol is provided. The device mainly includes a display and aprocessing unit. The display includes a screen installed with a cursorthereon and a frame attached to the screen. The frame further has afirst touch sensitive region and a second touch sensitive region forgenerating sensing signals in response to an input operation. Eachsensing signal is assigned a coordinate for identification. Theprocessing unit identifies the sensing signals according to thecoordinates assigned to the sensing signals, controls a movement of thecursor displayed on the screen if the identified sensing signals fromthe first touch sensitive region, and controls a movement of pagesdisplayed on the screen if the identified sensing signals from thesecond touch sensitive region.

A touch-based method for a display control on an electronic device isalso provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a displayon the electronic device, the display having a screen and a framethereof, the frame having a first touch sensitive region and a secondtouch sensitive region for generating sensing signals in response to aninput operation, each sensing signal assigned a coordinate foridentification; (b) identifying the sensing signals according to thecoordinates assigned to the sensing signals; (c) controlling a movementof a cursor displayed on the screen if the identified sensing signalsfrom the first touch sensitive region; and (d) controlling a movement ofpages displayed on the screen if the identified sensing signals from thesecond touch sensitive region.

Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the followingdetailed description with reference to the attached drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electronic device providing atouch-based interface for a display control in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention, the electronic deviceincluding a frame which has two touch sensitive regions thereon;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of theelectronic device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram representing a hardwareinfrastructure of a sensing signal processing circuit for a touchsensitive unit beneath the touch sensitive regions of FIG. 1 with thesensing signal processing circuit connecting to a processing unit;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a preferred touch-based method for the displaycontrol on the electronic device of FIG. 1 in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart further detailing steps involved in one step ofFIG. 4, namely identifying sensing signals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electronic device providing atouch-based interface for a display control in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention. The electronic deviceincludes a display 1. The display 1 further includes a screen 10 and aframe 11 thereof.

The frame 11 has a first touch sensitive region 110 a and a second touchsensitive region 110 b (each symbolically indicated as a dashedrectangular outline) for receiving a user's contact, thereby performinga corresponding function associated with the contacted touch sensitiveregion. That is, the first touch sensitive region 110 a is designated asa cursor control interface for cursor movement control, and the secondtouch sensitive region 110 b is designated as a page control interfacefor page movement control. Each touch sensitive region 110 a/110 bincludes a plurality of touch sensitive units beneath. Each touchsensitive unit further is assigned a coordinate for identification, anda sensing signal processing circuit 2 (described in more detail below)for generating sensing signals. In other words, each touch sensitiveregion 110 a/110 b is capable of generating sensing signals to performthe associated function therewith in response to an input operation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of theelectronic device of FIG. 1. As compared to that shown in FIG. 1, theelectronic device further includes a timer 25 and a processing unit 26.The timer 26 records a time duration of continuously receiving thesensing signals from the touch sensitive region 110 a/110 b. Theprocessing unit 25 identifies the sensing signals according to thecoordinates assigned therewith, and performs the function associatedwith the identified sensing signals. For example, if the sensing signalscomes from the first touch sensitive region 110 a, the processing unit26 controls the movement of the cursor displayed on the screen 10 inresponse to the input operation on the first touch sensitive region 110a; alternatively, if the sensing signals comes from the second touchsensitive region 110 b, the processing unit 26 controls the movement ofpages displayed on the screen 10 in response to the input operation onthe second touch sensitive region 110 b.

The processing unit 26 further determines a direction of the inputoperation according to coordinates assigned to the sensing signals and aspeed of the input operation according to the time duration of the timer25, and performs a particular display control in the determineddirection and speed. For example, with respect to cursor movementcontrol, if the processing unit 26 determines that the speed of theinput operation on the first touch sensitive region 110 a is a normalspeed, that is the time duration of continuously receiving the sensingsignals therefrom is greater than a first predetermined value(symbolically expressed as ‘T1’), the processing unit 26 thereupon movesthe cursor on the screen 10 word by word; if the processing unit 26determines that the speed of the input operation on the first touchsensitive region 110 a is a high speed, that is the time duration ofcontinuously receiving the sensing signals therefrom is less than orequal to the first predetermined value T1, the processing unit 26 movesthe cursor on the screen 10 line by line.

Similarly, with respect to page movement control, if the processing unit26 determines that the speed of the input operation on the second touchsensitive region 110 b is a normal speed, that is the time duration ofcontinuously receiving the sensing signals therefrom is greater than asecond predetermined value (symbolically expressed as ‘T2’), theprocessing unit 26 thereupon flips a single page on the screen 10; ifthe processing unit 26 determines the speed of the input operation onthe second touch sensitive region 110 b is a high speed, that is thetime duration of continuously receiving the sensing signals therefrom isless than or equal to the second predetermined value T2, the processingunit 26 thereupon flips a number of pages on the screen 10.

Therefore, by utilizing the electronic device, the user can easily andeffectively control the display on the screen (i.e., cursor movementcontrol or/and page movement control), regardless of a size of theelectronic device or a workspace for operating the electronic device.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram representing a hardwareinfrastructure of the sensing signal processing circuit for the touchsensitive unit beneath the touch sensitive region of FIG. 1 with thesensing signal processing circuit connecting to the processing unit 26.The sensing signal processing circuit 2 mainly includes an antenna 20, aclamping circuit 21, a detector 22, a feedback line 23, and a groundingline 24. The antenna 20 is connected to the clamping circuit 21. Theclamping circuit 21 is connected to an input end of the detector 22. Anoutput end of the detector 22 is respectively connected to theprocessing unit 12 and an end of the feedback line 23. The feedback line23 forms a positive feedback circuit with the antenna 21. The groundingline 24, namely a space between two adjacent touch sensitive units, isfor spacing the touch sensitive units therebetween.

The human body is itself electrically charged with noise and staticsignals. Therefore, when a user touches the touch sensitive region 110a/110 b, the noise and static signals of the user flow through theantenna 20. The antenna 20 transmits the noise and static signals to theclamping circuit 21. However, the static electrical signals may causeinterference to the noise, and may even fry the detector 22. Inaddition, a strong noise may adversely influence a resulting sensingsignal for the processing unit 26; that is, the sensitivity of the touchsensitive unit may be diminished. Accordingly, the clamping circuit 21is for eliminating the static signals and for reducing the noise, thusimproving the sensitivity accuracy of the touch sensitive unit.

The clamping circuit 21 includes a diode 210, and a capacitor 211. Theanode of the diode 210 is connected to the antenna 20, while the cathodeis connected to ground. Upon receiving the noise and static signals, thediode 210 filters out the static signals to ground so as to avoid fryingthe detector 22, and reducing the noise influencing to the capacitor211. The capacitor 211 further leaks a portion of the reduced noise toground. Thus the reduced noise is further weakened, thereby obtaining amore accurate sensitivity.

The detector 22 has a high input impedance, so as to easily detect thereduced and weakened noise received from the input end of the detector22. The detector 22 then converts the further reduced and weakened noiseinto digital signals, namely the sensing signals, and transmits thedigital signals through the output end of the detector 22 to theprocessing unit 26 to perform corresponding controls. Furthermore,because the feedback line 23 forms a positive feedback circuit with theantenna 20, the noise generated as the user touches the edge of thetouch sensitive unit is filtered, thereby further improving thesensitivity accuracy of the touch sensitive unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a preferred touch-based method for the displaycontrol on the electronic device of FIG. 1 in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention. In step S30, the touchsensitive region 110 a/110 b generates sensing signals in response tothe input operation thereon, and transmits the sensing signals to thetimer 25 and the processing unit 26 connected thereto. In step S31, theprocessing unit 26 identifies the sensing signals according to thecoordinates assigned therewith. In step S32, the processing unit 26performs a corresponding function associated with the identified sensingsignals. For example, if the sensing signals are from the first touchsensitive region 110 a, the processing unit 26 controls the movement ofthe cursor displayed on the screen 10, alternatively, if the sensingsignals are from the second touch sensitive region 110 b, the processingunit 26 controls the movement of pages displayed on the screen 10.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart further detailing steps involved in step S31 ofFIG. 4, namely identifying sensing signals. In step S40, the processingunit 26 determines whether the sensing signals are from the first touchsensitive region 110 a according to the coordinates assigned therewith.If so, in step S41, the timer 25 records the time duration ofcontinuously receiving the sensing signals from the first touchsensitive region 110 a. In step S42, the processing unit 26 determinesthe direction and speed of moving the cursor on the screen 10 accordingto coordinates assigned to the sensing signals and the time duration ofthe timer 25. For example, if the time duration is greater than thefirst predetermined value ‘T1’ the processing unit 26 displaces thecursor on the screen 10 by one word; and if the time duration is lessthan or equal to the first predetermined value ‘Ti’, the processing unit26 displaces the cursor on the screen 10 by one line.

If not, in step S43, the timer 25 records the time duration ofcontinuously receiving the sensing signals from the second touchsensitive region 110 b. In step S44, the processing unit 26 determinesthe direction and speed of flipping the page on the screen 10respectively according to coordinates assigned to the sensing signalsand the time duration of the timer 25. For example, if the time durationis greater than the second predetermined value ‘T2’, the processing unit26 determines to flip a single page on the screen 10; and if the timeduration is less than or equal to the second predetermined value ‘T2’,the processing unit 26 determines to flip a number of pages on thescreen 10.

Although the present invention has been specifically described on thebasis of a preferred embodiment and preferred method thereof, theinvention is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Variouschanges or modifications may be made to the embodiment and methodwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

1. An electronic device providing a touch-based interface for a displaycontrol, the device comprising: a display having a screen installed witha cursor thereon and a frame attached to the screen, the framecomprising a first touch sensitive region and a second touch sensitiveregion for generating sensing signals in response to an input operation,each sensing signal being assigned with a corresponding coordinate foridentification; and a processing unit being programmed for identifyingthe sensing signals according to the coordinates assigned to the sensingsignals, and controlling a movement of the cursor displayed on thescreen if the identified sensing signals are generated from the firsttouch sensitive region, and controlling a movement of pages displayed onthe screen if the identified sensing signals are generated from thesecond touch sensitive region.
 2. The device according to claim 1,wherein each touch sensitive region further comprises a plurality ofsensing units thereunder, each of which has a sensing signal processingcircuit for generating the sensing signals.
 3. The device according toclaim 2, further comprising a timer for recording a time duration ofcontinuously receiving the sensing signals.
 4. The device according toclaim 3, wherein the processing unit determines a direction of the inputoperation according to the coordinates assigned to the sensing signalsand a speed of the input operation according to the time duration of thetimer.
 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the processing unitfurther determines the speed of the input operation on the first touchsensitive region is a normal speed if the time duration is greater thana first predetermined value, and moves the cursor on the screen word byword.
 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the processing unitfurther determines the speed of the input operation on the first touchsensitive region is a high speed if the time duration is less than orequal to the first predetermined value, and moves the cursor on thescreen line by line.
 7. The device according to claim 4, wherein theprocessing unit further determines the speed of the input operation onthe second touch sensitive region is a normal speed if the time durationis greater than a second predetermined value, and flips a single page onthe screen.
 8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the processingunit further determines the speed of the input operation on the secondtouch sensitive region is a high speed if the time duration is less thanor equal to the second predetermined value, and flips a number of pageson the screen.
 9. A touch-based method for a display control on anelectronic device, the method comprising the steps of: providing adisplay on the electronic device, the display having a screen installedwith a cursor thereon and a frame attached to the screen, the framecomprising a first touch sensitive region and a second touch sensitiveregion for generating sensing signals in response to an input operation,each sensing signals being assigned with a corresponding coordinate foridentification; identifying the sensing signals according to thecoordinates assigned to the sensing signals; controlling a movement ofthe cursor displayed on the screen if the identified sensing signals aregenerated from the first touch sensitive region; and controlling amovement of pages displayed on the screen if the identified sensingsignals are generated from the second touch sensitive region.
 10. Themethod according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: recordinga time duration of continuously receiving the sensing signals;determining a direction of the input operation according to thecoordinates assigned to the sensing signals and a speed of the inputoperation according to the time duration.
 11. The method according toclaim 10, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:determining the speed of the input operation on the first touchsensitive region is a normal speed if the time duration is greater thana first predetermined value; and determining the speed of the inputoperation on the first touch sensitive region is a high speed if thetime duration is less than or equal to the first predetermined value.12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of controlling amovement of the cursor further comprises the steps of: moving the cursoron the screen word by word if the speed of the input operation on thefirst touch sensitive region is the normal speed; and moving the cursoron the screen line by line if the speed of the input operation on thefirst touch sensitive region is the high speed.
 13. The method accordingto claim 11, wherein the step of controlling a movement of pagesdisplayed on the screen further comprises the steps of: flipping asingle page on the screen if the speed of the input operation on thesecond touch sensitive region is a normal speed; and flipping a numberof pages on the screen if the speed of the input operation on the secondtouch sensitive region is a high speed.